Original article: Justicia pone freno: otro israelí formalizado por uso de fuego en Torres del Paine y con veto de 3 años
The court in Puerto Natales has approved an alternative resolution for a 23-year-old Israeli tourist formally charged with fire use in Torres del Paine, after being caught smoking in an area where ignition sources are strictly prohibited. The incident went viral following the release of footage on social media. The information was reported by La Prensa Austral.
During a hearing — scheduled following his indictment on January 25 — the defendant accepted the deal proposed by the prosecution to resolve the case and facilitate his departure from Chile, where he was under legal restrictions. At the beginning of the session, the defense requested confidentiality regarding his identity and face; Judge Marianela Chacur granted this request and expressly forbade any visual identification.
Fire Use in Torres del Paine: What Happened and Where
According to regional media, the incident occurred on January 15 along the “O” trekking circuit, between Campamento Serón and Guardería Coirón of CONAF. After being detected smoking, CONAF staff expelled him from the park and referred the case to the prosecutor’s office.
The Guarantee Court approved the conditional suspension of the proceedings for the consummate crime of fire use in a expressly prohibited area. Conditions set forth included a three-year ban from returning to Chile and a requirement to donate $2 million to the Last Hope Fire Department.
Juzgado de Garantía de Puerto Natales impuso suspensión condicional a ciudadano israelí por fumar en el Parque Nacional Torres del Paine. Además, se le decretó prohibición de ingreso a Chile por 3 años y pago de $2 millones a Bomberos.
Fiscalía fue representada por la abogada… pic.twitter.com/3u1zsT2eZe
— AgenciaUno (@agenciaunochile) February 4, 2026
Second Case This Summer Season
This incident has become the second case of an Israeli tourist charged this summer for fire use in Torres del Paine. Days earlier, a citizen named Halifa Nevo was also arrested and charged for lighting a cigarette inside the park: he is prohibited from returning and had to donate $1 million to the Fire Department, as reported by La Prensa Austral.
In a region marked by fire risk, the message is clear: in Torres del Paine, fire — even if it’s just a cigarette — is not a “minor issue,” it is a threat.
